


This is not what I wanted

by a_dot_burr_ell



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-08 19:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5510537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_dot_burr_ell/pseuds/a_dot_burr_ell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cat struggles to come to terms with her feelings for Kara and Supergirl when Kara comes to Cat looking for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Cat Grant opened a bottle of wine, glad she didn’t have to share the chilled liquid with anyone else for the moment. She watched the white wine fill her glass, glad she had invested in the thicker glass stems since she was filling the glass with half a bottle of wine, and retreated to her bedroom, bringing the bottle with her.

It had been a particularly stressful week; the editorial department had picked this week to turn into complete morons, her lead story had been scooped by Lois Lane, and, to top it all off, there had been an attack at the National City museum, causing traffic to back up for almost an hour. Supergirl had responded promptly, the signature red cape seen flapping in the wind towards the scene of the crime, but that didn’t help assuage the stab of annoyance Cat felt at seeing the red and blue heroine.

No matter how hard Kara denied being Supergirl, Cat firmly held on to the belief that her assistant was a closeted superhero. It just made sense. Other than the physical similarities, there were several instances where an alternative just wasn’t available. The incident with Carter being on Maxwell Lord’s train, the incident with Livewire, when Kara had let it slip that she overheard that oversized worm at the board meeting and, most tellingly, when Kara had been sick for a day with a broken arm and Supergirl had been mysteriously missing. Not to mention that Supergirl’s reappearance had corresponded with Kara miraculously getting better and realizing that her arm had been only sprained, not broken.

  
Cat had confronted the girl about it and Kara had stumbled over her words, lobbying weak excuse after excuse until Cat had talked her into a corner and the girl had reluctantly removed her glasses. Cat had been giddy inside, seeing the same face she’d seen flying just out of reach on the balcony of CatCo Plaza just days before and Cat had taken it as more than a confirmation when Kara had received an urgent phone call and been called away just as Maxwell Lord’s factory had been attacked.

When Kara had arrived to work the next day, flustered but intact, Cat had been eager to question her young assistant about her double life despite her insistence that everything was a coincidence. Cat had found the girl’s attempts at dissuasion hilarious, as Cat spent the next few days receiving text messages or sketchy calls from her assistant whenever there was a sighting of Supergirl to try and convince Cat that she was simply buying a latte instead of kicking the crap out of a criminal.

Her belief, however, had diminished somewhat when Kara had been by her side and a live report had showed Supergirl helping a dog that had gotten stuck in a fence. Cat hadn't been completely dissuaded, though, as there were several elements of the story that had seemed sketchy. For instance, Kara had been the one to bring the news story to her attention, making sure Cat was watching and, when Supergirl had finished saving the pooch, the superhero had flown off rather erratically, her usual pose absent. Cat had no earthly idea of how Kara had managed to pull off such a feat but she guessed that might have been how she’d done it; aliens might know other aliens, right?

So Cat let the girl have her wish and pretended to swallow the lie. She supposed it must have been daunting for the girl to have Cat know her secret; she was the head of a multimedia conglomerate, after all. But Cat hadn’t stopped observing her, asking her personal questions, trying to catch her off guard. It was fun to watch Kara blush and stumble over her answers, struggling to keep up with Cat’s probing questions; it was a game that she rather enjoyed. But, for now, she was home and trying to unwind by drinking her wine and kicking off her heels.

Her apartment was great, one of the best money could buy, spacious, well-furnished; she’d been featured in Home and Gardens more than once. It also had the added bonus of being in one of the most secure buildings in National City, with a doorman and a state of the art security system, with the building’s own private fleet of security guards working ‘round the clock; a must have for any cautious parent. But, if there was one spot she had to pick as her favorite, it would be the private balcony that showcased the skyline of the city.

The wall separating her bedroom from the balcony was mostly glass with a sliding glass door and accented by heavy curtains, ensuring that she could block out the sun exposure if it became too much. The balcony had been a requirement when she was searching for both apartments and designing the building that CatCo was currently in. It was nice, after a long day at the office, to sit out in the night air with a glass of wine or bourbon and let the quiet surround her; a small piece of the sky she kept all to herself.

Cat turned towards the glass, idly wondering if late December was too cold to finish her wine outside, when she spotted something on her terrace made her shriek and nearly drop her wine.

“What the hell?!” Cat swore, glaring at the figure that was softly knocking on her door.

It was impossible to miss who was outside, the slim frame mildly visible despite the red cape flapping in the wind around her. This was not the first time Supergirl had surprised her but it was the first time Supergirl had visited her anywhere other than the office or that one time in her car. It was another point to the ‘my assistant is Supergirl’ column, very few people knew her home address. No, out of all the possibilities of how her night was going to unfold, Supergirl showing up outside her window was not one of the scenarios Cat had pictured.

Cat angrily set her wine down on her dresser, blindly searching for the light switch that would illuminate her balcony while she tried to get her heart rate back to normal. She hated being caught unawares and it seemed to be a trend that only Supergirl could continue. Either way, Cat was determined to give the hero a lecture on boundaries.

“I hope you have a good reason for bothering me at home,” Cat started condescendingly, flicking on the light. It was always important to keep up the cool and collected front when dealing with everyone. “Because, so help me, if this is something that could have waited until tomorrow I-.”

Cat’s reprimand was halted when she took in the sight in front of her. Supergirl’s face now illuminated, Cat could see that she was as white as a sheet, her face drawn into a pained expression, one arm wrapped tightly around her middle as the other rapped lightly on the door. Cat watched in stunned silence as Supergirl let her hand rest on the glass, leaving behind a smear of blood in its wake. The hero leaned forward to lethargically rest her forehead on the glass, as if holding herself up was becoming too taxing.

Shaking her head to clear her head, Cat rushed forward and opened the sliding door. “What the hell happened to you?!”

“I’m sorry about this, Ms. Grant,” Supergirl said, her voice strained while still trying to maintain the confident aloofness she usually exuded. “But I couldn’t-.”

She broke off as she tried to step forward and her boots caught on the door frame, causing her to stumble into the room. Cat acted on instinct, catching her before she could hit the ground and wrapping her arms around her. Supergirl was surprisingly light considering the girl was at least a head taller than the older woman was even with her heels. Cat pulled Supergirl farther into the room, not bothering to close the door behind them, and deposited Supergirl on her bed.

Supergirl groaned as she hit the mattress, and Cat stepped back, marveling at the awkwardness of the situation. From this close, it was even more apparent to Cat that the girl in the super suit was her assistant. She chalked it up to never really seeing Supergirl closer than an arm’s length away before now. But now, lying no less than a foot away, on her own bed, Cat could see her hair, although damp with perspiration, was the same shade as Kara’s and the girl’s eyes were the same shape and color as when Cat had made Kara remove her glasses on CatCo’s balcony. Her victory, however, was somewhat diminished by the fact that she was making these discoveries while the girl was bleeding on her sheets.

A million questions ran through Cat’s mind as she watched Supergirl settle herself on the bed, a product of her chosen career. What had happened? Was this all from the fight at the museum? Why was she here? Didn’t Supergirl have someone else to turn to when she was in trouble? Which led to the most important question. How badly was she hurt?

Supergirl curled in on herself and groaned again, sending a flare of anxiety through Cat. “Are you alright?”

“I couldn’t make it any farther,” Supergirl admitted, her hands protectively covering her abdomen. She was obviously covering an injury.

“Let me see where you’re hurt.” Cat demanded, turning on her bedside lamp for additional light and sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed. Whatever had happened was causing Supergirl to fade fast as Cat could see the girl’s eyes struggling to stay open. Scenario after scenario was running through Cat’s brain because, when you had skin strong enough for bullets to bounce off of you what was powerful enough to make a Superhero bleed?

“No, please,” Supergirl pleaded, keeping her stomach covered. Cat noticed that Supergirl’s breathing was labored as she tried to scoot away from Cat, as if afraid to be too close. “I just need to call... someone.”

“Yeah! I’m trying to figure out if I need to call an ambulance!” Cat exclaimed. She tried to pry the girl’s hands away but Cat might as well have been pulling at steel. She gave up with a huff. “I’m calling 911.”

“No!” The girl exclaimed, looking up at Cat with panic in her eyes. “Please, Ms. Grant! No hospitals.”

“Then what were you expecting me to do?!” Cat snapped, standing and placing her hands on her hips. This situation was becoming more frustrating by the moment. Cat was used to be being in control when it came to the younger girl but Supergirl was refusing to let Cat take the lead.

“I just need somewhere to rest until someone can come get me.” She said, shaking her head minutely. “If I had kept flying, I would have probably ended up… falling and hurting someone. I just needed-. I needed to be with someone I could trust…”

Cat was momentarily touched by the admission, her lips curling up at the edges unconsciously. The statement was just as touching as when Supergirl had said that Cat had inspired her. Cat’s reminiscence was cut short when she looked down and realized that Supergirl’s eyes had shut and her body sagged into the bed. She’d passed out.

“Hey! Supergirl!” Cat shouted, shaking the girl’s shoulders gently. Cat swore when it did nothing to wake her. “What the hell am I supposed to do now?!”

Cat was bordering on the edge of panic, a feeling that she worked very hard to suppress in her day to day life. She was known to handle crisis after crisis in her professional life, a PR mess solved with ease when she was involved, and she purposely structured her personal life so that there was as little surprises as possible. But she had no idea what to do when her work came flying in through her bedroom window.

Cat considered her options. Supergirl was obviously hurt badly but she didn’t want to be taken to the hospital. After some thought, Cat supposed that a hospital did seem like a bad idea. How do you even treat an alien anyway? She considered trying to patch Supergirl up herself but quickly dismissed the idea. She might just make it worse. She was, however, curious about the injury.

She moved Supergirl’s arms away from her stomach, no resistance now that the girl was out cold. The super suit was soaked through and covering the wound so Cat gingerly moved the ripped material of the suit to get a better look. Cat gasped when she saw a cut about 5 inches wide and steadily oozing blood. It looked deep, not a great sign, and there was something stuck in the wound. Cat moved the lamp closer to get a better look and saw a flash of…was that green? She had no medical knowledge to speak of but she was sure that the color green was probably a bad thing.

Cat’s unease grew. She was worried about how long Supergirl was going to last at this rate. But what should she do? She looked up at the girl’s face, looking for any sign of discomfort but finding none. She did, however, look immeasurably young and vulnerable, a stark difference to the image of confidence Supergirl usually portrayed. Cat moved to brush a wayward strand of hair away from Supergirl’s face and noticed a piece of plastic attached to the side of her face, underneath the blonde hair. Cat moved the girl’s hair out of the way and…was that a Bluetooth?

She moved Supergirl’s hair away from the left side of her head to see the device secured to her ear. If there was a Bluetooth device then there had to be a phone somewhere. Cat checked the cape and the suit, conscious of the girl’s injuries, but was unable to find any pockets. How did Supergirl expect her to call anyone if she couldn't find her phone? Cat was briefly worried that Kara had done what so many did nowadays and put the phone in her bra but she had no way to be sure. Unless...

Cat raced out of her room to her kitchen, the last place that she’d left her purse. She reached inside the bag, grabbing her own phone before making her way back to her bedroom. Cat had no way to guarantee that her idea would work but she was banking on Kara’s naivety to work in her favor. She unlocked her phone and searched her contacts for one of her most used number, hitting the call button.

“Come on, come on…” Cat mumbled, waiting for the call to go through.

This plan would accomplish either one or two things. One the one hand, Kara could answer the phone proving once and for all that she was human but that she had a stunning lookalike running around in tights and a cape. Or two, Kara’s phone would vibrate somewhere on Supergirl’s person and give Cat the location of the phone while proving Supergirl's alter ego. At this point, Cat wasn't sure which option she was hoping for. Would it be relief to know that she was right? Or would her victory be outweighed by the fact that the girl bleeding out in her bed was the same girl that had worked with for the past year, the girl who had earned a hug from her son, and saved her position in her company?

Her screen shifted from dialing to counting the seconds of the call, and Cat heard a phone start vibrating in front of her. She located the source of the vibrating in a custom compartment in Supergirl’s boot, mildly impressed. Cat had to admit that it was quite the ingenious addition to the outfit, keeping Supergirl’s phone secure while still hidden. She hit the button to end the call on her own phone, tossing it to the bed before retrieving the other device.

Turning the phone over in her hand, Cat saw the missed call icon that was labeled with her own name before quickly dismissing the notification. The phone was locked, but Cat swiped the screen to the emergency call screen, clicking the button at the bottom for the emergency contact list. There was only one number listed, a phone number for one Alex Danvers.

Cat wasn't 100% sure if Kara had ever mentioned what her sister’s name was but she was sure that the last name was no coincidence. Not wasting any more time, Cat clicked on the number and held the phone up to her ear while it dialed. It only took a second before the person on the other end picked up and started talking.

“Sorry I missed your earlier calls, Kara! We had a potential escapee situation.” The woman on the phone started, sounding frustrated. “How did it go? Nobody here’s gotten a briefing-.”

“Excuse me,” Cat cut in, glad her voice didn’t waver as she interrupted the woman.

The voice at the other end of the line turned cold. “Who is this?”

“This is Cat Grant.” Cat answered curtly, automatically responding to the other woman’s tone. “Can I presume that this is Alex Danvers?”

“Where did you get this phone?” She demanded, completely ignoring Cat’s question.

Cat felt a stab of annoyance. They were wasting time. “Look, all you need to know is that the owner of this phone is currently unconscious in my apartment after begging me not to call an ambulance.”

There was a beat of silence. “She’s hurt?”

“Yes.” Cat answered immediately.

“How bad?” Alex asked, as if she really didn’t want to know the answer.

“Bleeding from the stomach.” Cat said, her eyes snapping over to look at Kara’s face. “Unconscious for probably 5 minutes.”

Cat heard the voice on the other line sharply inhale. “I’m on my way.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all the kind words and feedback! I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.

Cat paced back and forth in her living room, waiting for the knock on her door to come. She’d already gotten the call from the doorman asking if she was expecting an Alex Danvers for the evening. After confirming that, yes, she was waiting on this appointment, Cat had reluctantly left Kara’s side to wait for the arrival of the elevator.

The person barely had time to knock on the front door once before Cat had pulled open the door to reveal a woman standing in her doorway. The woman a few inches taller than Cat was, angular face, dark hair worn short in an A-line bob, wearing a polo shirt and dark pants in an outfit that screamed government agency. If there wasn't such a pressing situation in her bedroom, Cat would be tempted to inquire what branch of the government Supergirl was in contact with.

The new arrival was frowning down at Cat as if they’d previously met, an interesting observation considering she’s never met the woman before in her life. Without waiting to be invited in, she slid in past Cat, a large black bag at her side.

“Where is she?” She asked rudely, surveying the apartment critically.

“No, please, come in.” Cat said mockingly, closing and locking the door after her.

“If this was anything less than an emergent situation, I might be tempted to observe social niceties.” She shot back, her gaze snapping to Cat’s face. “Now, where is she?”

“Down the hall, second door on the right.” Cat answered, leading the way.

Her guest followed along wordlessly, letting Cat open the door to the bedroom. Cat stood to the side as they’d entered and watched as the other woman quickly approached the bed where Kara lay, unconscious. She immediately dropped the bag she’d brought to the floor, using her hands to go to Supergirl's face, turning her head to check for injuries, and sliding one hand under her chin to check for a pulse.

The woman’s touch was light as she moved on to examine every inch of the girl, but Cat saw the way she reverently cupped Kara’s face, being careful not to jostle the hero in her search. Cat watched her face when she looked at the site of the wound, the anguish in her eyes apparent. No, there was no doubt in Cat’s mind that the woman in front of her cared deeply for Supergirl.

It would make sense then, that this was, for sure, the protective foster sister that Kara often mentioned. It would also explain the reason for the other woman’s earlier hostility towards her. Kara obviously shared some of Cat’s… more colorful behavior with her.

“So you're Alex Danvers, correct?” Cat asked, silently cursing when it came out with a slight waver.

Alex stopped her examination, turning to face Cat and leveling her with a fierce stare. “I don't know what you _think_ you know, Ms. Grant, but I'm sure you're wrong.”

Cat felt a flicker of annoyance and drew herself up. “Let's not play coy here, shall we? You and I both know who is laying in that bed. But what you seem to be forgetting is that she came to me. Not the other way around. And I could have just as easily called the authorities, along with a film crew, and been done with it. But instead, I did as Supergirl asked and called you!”

Cat watched as a muscle in Alex’s jaw twitched. “Fine. Then, I’ll need a few things if I’m going to help my sister.”

“What things?” Cat asked, glad they were done with the posturing.

“Towels or other linens you don’t mind being ruined, water,” Alex listed off. She pointed towards Kara. “And I’m going to need a spare change of clothes that will fit her.”

Cat didn’t answer, simply marching out of her bedroom to get the aforementioned items. She grabbed several bottles of water, tucking them under her arm to carry them, and went to her linens closet to grab anything that wasn’t Carter’s. Cat didn’t care whether or not anything was ruined, she’d just buy more, but she knew her son would care if she got blood on his commemorative Supergirl Towel set. She wondered idly if he would care knowing that it was Supergirl’s blood but quickly pushed the ridiculous thought out of her head. She never wanted Carter to know anything about this situation.

She stopped off in the laundry room to grab a pair of yoga pants and a loose fitting shirt and headed back towards her bedroom with all the required items. Upon entering the room, Cat dumped everything on the bed, quirking an eyebrow as she saw Alex leveling a phone at Supergirl as if she was taking a panoramic photo.

“What are you doing?” Cat demanded, putting her hands on her hips. If this person was, somehow, not Alex Danvers and had bypassed even Cat’s considerable instincts to get in here to exploit Supergirl...

“Portable X-ray.” Alex explained, interrupting Cat’s thoughts as she stopped her scan and pressed a few buttons.

“That’s an x-ray machine?” Cat said skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It’s a prototype.” Alex answered distractedly, slipping the phone into her pocket. “I think I’ve pinpointed the problem. Hold her down. I’ll get her legs.”

“What?” Cat exclaimed, staring in horror as Alex opened her bag and pulled out a pair of metal forceps.

“Hold. Her. Down.” Alex repeated in a mockingly slow voice, as if speaking to a child. Cat scowled and the other woman rolled her eyes. “Just push down on her shoulders to keep her from moving around too much. I need to pull out what’s in there and she’s probably going to be in some pain.”

“Won’t she…I don’t know…bleed out? Or-? Or throw us across the room?” Cat asked worriedly.

Alex fixed her with a calculating look, as if considering trusting Cat with the information. “She was injured with a blade that was made of a material that blocks her powers. If it stays in there too long, it could kill her. I need to get it out so that she can start healing. Believe me, it’s the best option.”

“Fine.” Cat snapped as Alex climbed on top of Kara’s legs.

Alex positioned herself so that she was at the injury site and she looked at Cat expectantly. Cat rolled her eyes and placed both hands on Supergirl’s shoulders, pressing her into the mattress firmly. Cat knew when the other woman began her rudimentary surgery because Kara stirred beneath her.

”Ugh!” Supergirl struggled against the two women, a layer of sweat forming on the girl’s skin. “No-.”

“Keep calm, Kara!” Alex said as she worked. “We’re gonna get this thing out of you.”

Despite being de-powered, as Alex claimed, Supergirl still had a considerable amount of strength to use against them. It was hell, trying to keep the girl still while listening to her whine and groan in pain. On a particular violent thrash, Cat threw her whole body over Kara to hold her still.

“Can you hurry this up?!” Cat snapped.

“It's not like I’m exactly operating under ideal circumstances here!” Alex shot back, not bothering to take her eyes off her task. “I think I’ve almost got it!”

“Please! Stop!” Kara whimpered, still trying to throw them off.

“I got it!” Alex exclaimed, pulling part of a bright green blade out of Kara’s side and placing it on the bed. She grabbed one of the extra towels and pressed it to the wound. “Okay, you’re okay!”

Kara’s breathing eased as Alex put pressure on the wound and Cat sighed in relief. Kara barely seemed conscious, her eyes closed tight in pain. “Alex?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” Alex said soothingly, trying to smile reassuringly. When Kara’s eyes had closed again, she turned to Cat. “Can you hold this here? I need to call my team in.”

“Team? What team?” Cat asked, taking over holding the towel to Kara’s side.

“Removing this thing got her out of immediate danger.” Alex said, retrieving a plastic bag from her bag and collecting the glowing green blade. “But we have to get her to a more secure location for further evaluation and recovery. Excuse me.”

Alex stepped back from the bed and grabbed her phone as she stepped out of the room. “Henshaw? The situation has been contain-.”

The door closed, leaving Cat alone in the room with a half conscious Kara. Cat glanced around at her bed, cringing as she saw all the bloodied linens. She really was going to have to throw everything out. A small groan caught her attention, signaling that Kara was waking up again.

“Alex?” Kara mumbled, looking around the room with half-lidded eyes.

Her voice was small, more like a vulnerable girl asking for her older sister instead of the a super powered hero recovering after a battle. Even when Cat was berating her human persona, Kara had never sounded so young, opting to cringe in silence or, on that one occasion, snap back at Cat in anger. This was a new side of Kara that Cat was witnessing and it was making her slightly uncomfortable; like that time her assistant had told her her parents had died in a fire. Although now that Cat thought about it, that explanation hadn’t been exactly true. Somehow, that realization didn’t help.

“She stepped outside to make a phone call.” Cat said, swallowing against the lump that was forming in her throat. “I’m sure she’ll be back shortly.”

“Ms. Grant?” Kara asked questioningly.

“I’m here.” Cat answered, not sure what Kara was going to ask.

“Thank you. For your help.” Kara said quietly, the corners or her mouth curling up.

Cat was stunned for a moment before she recovered and cleared her throat. “Don't be ridiculous. We can't have National City’s hero falling ill and into the hands of someone other than CatCo, now can we?”

“Right, CatCo.” Kara agreed sarcastically, starting to chuckle until it turned into a groan.

“Stop that.” Cat admonished, redoubling the pressure in the wound. “You should be resting.”

“Right, sorry.” She replied automatically.

Cat was about to remind the girl that she apologized too much when she realized that Kara had slipped unconscious again. It was a relief, not to listen to the girl’s misplaced gratitude. It wasn't as if Cat had done anything monumental; made a phone call, that's it.

Cat spent several minutes observing Kara’s face, making sure that there were no signs of discomfort. She was beginning to feel a stab of annoyance at the older Danvers sister. How long did it take to make a phone call anyways?

The bedroom door opened eventually and Alex entered the room, pocketing her phone. “How is she?”

Cat thought about that. “She woke up briefly but she’s been resting for the rest of the time.”

Alex nodded. “Good. My team will be here shortly so we need to dress the wound and get her into some normal clothes.”

“You want to change her out of the suit?” Cat asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It would be pretty conspicuous to wheel Supergirl out of your apartment strapped to a gurney.” Alex said, getting some gauze and tape. “Your assistant, on the other hand-.”

“Wait! She said no hospitals.” Cat exclaimed, watching as Alex moved the towels that were staunching Kara’s bleeding and replaced it with gauze.

“My department has its own medical transport. We’re going to a secure facility, not a hospital.” Alex said, securing the dressing with medical tape.

Cat stood back as Alex removed Supergirl’s cape and boots, throwing them to the floor. She easily got Cat’s yoga pants on Kara, slipping them over the tights. Kara complained a little as they sat her up and pulled the rest of the suit over her head, the fabric near the wound dried enough to pull at the skin as it was moved.

Cat swiftly put the cotton shirt over Kara’s head as Alex dug around in her purse for something. Producing a hair tie and a pair of glasses from the bag, Alex pulled Kara’s blonde hair into a ponytail and placed the glasses over her sister’s face. Stepping back, Cat had to admit that their makeshift disguise would be enough to get Kara off of the premises.

“You’ll have her call me with an update?” Cat asked, gazing passively at the other woman.

“I'm sure she’ll get a message to you when she’s able.” Alex countered, checking her phone. Cat didn't appreciate the evasive comment but didn't add anything since Alex’s phone began to beep. “They’re here.”

The brunette left the room to get the door just as there was a knock. Cat noticed that In her rush to get the door, Alex had left her supply bag on the floor. Figuring she may as well oversee whoever was entering her apartment so that the entire place wouldn't end up trashed, Cat followed her out into the hall with the bag to see a gurney and several EMTs. Alex gave them directions to the bedroom and they rushed past her, pulling the gurney along. Cat was about to object when a man stepped into the apartment to talk with Alex.

“Sorry about the delay. The doorman was being difficult about letting us in without ringing up first.” He said, his voice familiar.

“Monroe!” Cat exclaimed, the memory coming back to her, dropping what she was carrying to the floor. “You were the FBI agent who tore up my office when Leslie, uh, Livewire attacked.”

The agent smirked. “If that's what I said at the time then...yes.”

“Like I'm going to fall for that a second time!” Cat grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Now, I'd like to know who it is that's stomping around my apartment, if you please. And the agency you really work for.”

The agent looked ready to rebuke her when Alex spoke up. “Ms. Grant was nice enough to inform us of the situation before anyone else, sir. And Supergirl did come to her...”

“I see.” He said, appraising Cat. “I suppose we’ll have to have a chat about this particular incident.”

“I'd be happy to. Just make an appointment with my assistant.” Cat said flippantly. She pointed to the bag she brought out of the room. “And Ms. Danvers, you left your bag in my bedroom.”

Alex wordlessly took the bag as the gurney returned with Kara. “That's our cue.”

“Okay, everybody, let’s go!” He said, waving the team out. He didn't bother with a goodbye, simply turning away and exiting the apartment.

“Thank you for all of your help Ms. Grant. I'm sure we’ll see each other again.” Alex said, moving towards the door.

“I wouldn't doubt it.” Cat said wryly, shaking her head slightly as the door closed.

Locking the deadbolt, Cat made her way to the kitchen. Whatever wine she had sipped earlier in the night was long out of her system and now she needed something a little stronger. She pulled a glass and a bottle of bourbon from her cabinet, pouring herself a generous portion.

Taking a drink, Cat felt the alcohol burn at the back of her throat, warming her and driving away some of the uncertainty that was left when the agents had wheeled Kara out of her apartment. What had happened today had shaken her, there was no way to deny that, but it was time to get herself together.

Cat knew there was a mess waiting for her in the bedroom and as tempted as she was to leave for later and simply sleep in Carter’s room, she knew that it wasn't something that she could leave for the maid. She grabbed a plastic trash bag to dispose of her linens and towels and and entered her bedroom. The first thing she noticed was that Supergirl’s suit was still in a pile on the floor where they'd thrown it.

“Honestly,” Cat said in agitation, going to pick up the suit. “How do they keep their agency a secret when they make amateur mistakes like this one.”

Cat bent down and grabbed the discarded suit. The garment looked unassuming now without the cape attached but the rip in the side and the dried blood told the truth. Cat ran her fingertips over the test and wondered idly if this was something her assistant would repair or if she had a closet full of spare Supergirl suits in her closet of home.

Figuring that she didn't pay Kara enough money to keep an infinite supply, Cat figured that her best option was to return this. She carefully folded the suit before doing the same with the cape and stacking the boots. She’d find a more appropriate bag to sneak the suit into CatCo later.

Cat quickly gathered all of the soiled towels, throwing them into the trash bag she’d brought. She moved to strip the bed, pulling the sheets off of the mattress, and nearly jumped when Kara’s phone hit the floor.

Cat sighed, bending down to pick up the phone from the floor. She probably wasn't going to be getting that phone call after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little later than I wanted to get this Chapter out but I had a pretty rough cold over the holiday. Anyways, thanks for your patience and enjoy.

There was a vein in Cat’s forehead that would not stop twitching and her eyes were burning. She ground the heel of her palm into her temples, hoping that it would help, but to no avail. No, the only thing that would probably help would be if she let her head drop to her keyboard and took a nap; but there was no way she’d do something so unprofessional where all of her employees could see. Her office was only separated from them by glass, after all.

Cat groaned to herself. The last eighteen hours had been beyond terrible. She had waited up to see if Kara or her secret agent sister would call her with an update but, when the clock hit half past three, Cat had to admit to herself that there wasn’t going to be a call. She had slept horribly after that, tossing and turning, only to be woken up a couple of hours later. She’d made it into work, exhausted and irritable, only to find that someone had used her personal elevator _again_.

Any hope that Cat harbored that Kara would be waiting for her on the other side of the door with a latte and a sheepish smile was dashed the second the elevator doors opened and she was greeted, not with her assistant, but with blank stares and cheap cologne. To make matters worse, no one had stepped up to pick up the slack in Kara’s absence meaning that the usual tasks that were completed by the time Cat usually arrived were still waiting to be done.

After having to delegate Kara’s duties around the office, everyone spent the rest of the morning running around and avoiding Cat’s gaze as if one look would end their career. Or their lives. Not that Cat could really blame them; she may have been a touch more demanding than usual without her latte.

Speaking of which, it was time to caffeinate.

“Witt!” Cat shouted, knowing that she could be heard outside of her office.

The IT boy in question raised his head from his computer screen. “Uh, me? Ms. Grant?”

“In here.” She said, pointing to a spot on the carpet across from her desk. “Now.”

He stood from his desk, nearly knocking over some toy or another, and practically ran into the office, wringing his hands nervously. “Yes, Ms. Grant?”

“I need a latte. Hot. Run downstairs and have them charge it to my tab.” Cat ordered, barely looking up from her computer.

“You, uh, want me to get you coffee?” He asked, clueless.

“Today would be nice.” Cat said dismissively, raising an eyebrow pointedly.

He didn’t answer, nearly stumbling in his attempt to get out of her office. Why Kara spoke so highly of him, Cat would never know. He seemed useful, sure; but he was also too skittish, an unsuitable trait for the professional world. Plus, his juvenile crush on Kara was as painfully obvious as when Kara had been pining for James Olsen. Thank god she’d grown out of that; her assistant’s lovelorn looks disappearing in the last few weeks since that Lane girl had entered the picture.

Witt returned with her coffee, taking longer than Kara would have but still sooner than Cat had expected of him. She relieved him of the beverage and took a sip, finding it reasonably warm. Cat nearly smiled. The boy’s ability to follow directions marginally raised her opinion of him, he was the one to reestablish CatCo after that earthquake, after all. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Cat wasn’t going to tear him a new one and turned to leave the office without another word.

“Hold on a moment.” Cat said lazily. He flinched and turned, the look on his face comparable to a deer in the headlights. “I was wondering if you’d received any word regarding Kiera today.”

“Who? Kara?” He asked, his face rearranging into one of fake confusion.

Cat rolled her eyes. “Yes, Kiera, Kara. Have you heard from her or not?”

“Uh, not today.” He admitted, genuine worry breaking through his carefully crafted expression. “None of us have heard from her since yesterday. I’ve been trying her phone all day. Why? Have you?”

Cat quietly processed this. Kara hadn’t been in contact with her friends, either. She opened her desk drawer and checked her assistant’s phone. It had died sometime in the night and, having a different model, Cat had been unable to charge it. The fact that no one’s heard from her could have been a coincidence since Cat was in possession of her phone but a part of her knew that Kara would have reached out to someone had she been able.

_"I needed to be with someone I could trust..."_

Cat shook her head to clear Supergirl's words from her head and let her gaze travel between the dead phone in her hand and the employee in her office. She could easily give the phone to him and ask him to charge it, he was bound to have what it took to recharge the device, but decided against it. It would just lead to awkward questions of how she came in possession of Kara’s phone and he was already looking at her questioningly.

Stowing the device back in the drawer, Cat sighed. “If you hear anything, let me know immediately.”

He nodded solemnly so Cat dismissed him from the office. There was still too much to do without her assistant and Cat wasn’t going to get anything done by interrogating her employees.

She made it through the rest of the morning without firing anybody but after a near miss with an intern during lunches, Cat decreed that no one enter her office unless it was life and death. The afternoon ran smoothly after that and Cat focused on returning her multitude of emails. By the time she looked up from her computer, the office was nearly empty. The sun had disappeared over an hour ago and Cat knew that, despite the amount of work she still had to do, she’d have to call it a night soon.

A light knocking on her office door demanded her attention but Cat stubbornly kept her eyes on her computer. There was no reason that someone who was left at the office this late would be so incompetent as to need her for something. The person knocked again and, receiving no response, pushed the door open.

“Something better be on fire. Because if I have to-.” Cat started, raising her gaze to glare at the intruder but the threat died in her throat when she saw Kara standing just outside the glass. “Kara!”

Taking Cat’s exclamation as permission, Kara entered the office. Cat stood from her computer and took a few steps towards her assistant, observing her closely. Kara was dressed similarly to how she usually would for a day at the office, flats, maroon pants, a button up shirt and a cardigan; the girl's hair was twisted back into a bun and her glasses were in place, signaling that this visit was indeed Kara Danvers, not Supergirl.

Kara moved gingerly, Cat noticed, and she wore a hesitant expression; like she wasn't sure what kind of reception she’d receive. Cat searched for a sign that the girl had been previously impaled less than twenty-four hours ago but couldn't see anything other than Kara’s slow movements. It was a little hard for Cat to reconcile.

“You're here.” Cat said, feeling rather speechless. Snapping out of her surprise, Cat scowled. “What took you so long?”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Grant. I would have taken a more direct route, but I've been a little preoccupied.” Kara quipped, the edges of her lips tipping upwards into a small smile. The smile faded, however, and Kara’s face turned serious “I am sorry about yesterday. And for missing work. I would have called but-.”

“But I have your phone.” Cat finished, going to her desk drawer and retrieving the phone. One glance under her desk and Cat grabbed a separate bag, placing it on top of the desk. “That's not the only thing you left in my possession.”

Kara peaked inside the bag and spotted her boots and super suit. “Right. That was the second reason I didn't take my usual shortcut.”

“You could have called from another phone.” Cat said sternly. “I refuse to believe that whatever agency your foster sister works for couldn't have looked up my number.”

Kara cringed at her tone. “I’m sorry. Alex said I could have taken five minutes to call but I thought-.”

“You thought you could waltz in here like nothing happened? Like you hadn’t nearly died in my apartment?” Cat huffed, feeling all the anxiety she’d been feeling coming back. “I swear, Supergirl, you couldn't be more oblivious if you’d landed on earth yesterday.”

Kara ducked her head. “Sorry.”

“You apologize far too much. But that's currently besides the point.” Cat said, crossing her arms delicately over her chest. “Now, I was owed an update.”

“Right. They patched me up and I'll be as good as new.” Kara said unconvincingly.

“So that’s it?” Cat pushed, knowing that the girl was holding back. “A major stab wound, one night of sleep and you'll be all better? I thought you were supposed to be bulletproof. How does a knife take you out? And when your sister pulled it out, it was green and she said it crippled your powers!”

“That's… true.” Kara said, sighing. “The blade was made out of a radioactive material from my home planet. If I'm exposed to it for too long I’d die. Alex got the main part of the blade out in time but when they checked me over at headquarters, they realized that there are still fragments of the mineral inside me.”

Cat felt her stomach drop. “So you’re going to-?”

“Oh! No! I’ll be fine.” Kara rushed to assure her, letting her shirt drop. “The fragments are hindering my healing but my body will eventually push them out. It just means that it might take me a few days before I'm ready to fight anyone else.”

“Oh.” Cat nodded, pretending to absorb the story. She was getting information that last week she would have killed for, but today was just getting in the way of what she really wanted to know. “So, you’ll be alright?”

Kara nodded. “Of course.”

“Can I-?” Cat asked, pointing to where the wound was.

“You want to...?” Kara asked, her face scrunching up in question.

Cat sighed, rolling her eyes. “You’ll forgive me if I don't take your word that you’ll be ‘A-Okay’ since I saw you bleeding out on my sheets less than twenty-four hours ago!”

“Oh! Uh, sure!” Kara said, fumbling slightly as she let her hands drop to the hem of her shirt and pulled up to reveal a bandage and peeled back the adhesive to reveal a half healed cut.

Cat stepped forward, reaching out instinctively and ignoring the small gasp she heard from her assistant when their skin made contact. Cat had to admit that Kara’s skin was soft beneath her fingertips as she probed the area, examining the injury. The cut itself was already half as long as it had been the previous day, the skin surrounding it was yellowed like a half healed bruise. She made one more pass at the skin before realizing that Kara was beginning to get goosebumps from where their skin had been in contact. 

“No stitching?” Cat asked, pulling back and watching as Kara put the bandage in place.

“There's no need. It will heal over on its own.” Kara explained, smoothing out her shirt.

“Does it hurt?” Cat asked curiously, walking around her desk.

“It's only for another day or so.” Kara admitted, adjusting her glasses.

It was a nervous habit that Cat had noticed for quite some time but she had to admit that it was rather endearing. “Well, you should probably go get some rest.”

“Right.” Kara said, stepping forward to grab the bag holding her clothes and phone. “Goodnight, Ms. Grant.”

Cat watched as Kara headed for the door. “Wait!”

“Yes, Ms. Grant?” Her assistant said, pausing by the door.

“I, uh…” Cat hesitated, hardly sure why she’d called out in the first place.

For weeks, Cat had been obsessed with discovering Supergirl’s identity; eager to tie the hero to CatCo, to have some form of leverage over the her to use for a business advantage. From the moment Cat had suspected that Lara had been Supergirl, she’d done everything she could to learn the truth. And despite the time they’d spent skirting around the truth, Cat had barely come to the realization of what it actually meant that her assistant was the caped hero constantly throwing herself into danger.

Now, Cat had everything she had wanted and she couldn't have resented it more. She realized that she was wary of letting her assistant walk out of the door without any guarantee that she’d ever see the young woman again. What was to stop Kara from putting on the suit and trying to stop crime or another without being fully healed? Cat swallowed, not wanting to think about it but unable to voice her concerns.

“See you tomorrow?” She asked instead.

Kara smiled and Cat felt part of her uncertainty fade away. “Of course, Ms. Grant. Bright and early.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” Cat said, smiling in return as Kara stepped out of her office. The rest they could figure out tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this wraps up my first Supergirl fic. I just want to thank everyone who read, left comments, or kudos. You all ready gave me a lot of encouragement and were very kind. 
> 
> I probably won't write more for this specific story but in the future I may write additional fics for Supercat or even a loosely connected sequel.

**Author's Note:**

> So this will probably be a three parter. Look for the next chapter to come soon.


End file.
